In the office furniture industry, it’s the little things that thrill us. Some of us get excited by chairs, others by height-adjustable solutions, and then for some of us – it’s the fabrics. Maybe it’s the bright patterns, maybe it’s the performance of the materials; whatever the case may be, fabrics are a fascinating topic.

There seems to be an infinite number of patterns and colorways available from manufacturers and mills alike, and HON is no exception. However, in keeping with our tradition of rapid continuous improvement, we’ve made a commitment to introducing and discontinuing fabrics just twice a year: July and January. Today, we wanted to share with you a peak into our fabric strategy, showcase our latest set of introductions, and give you a sneak peek of what’s to come in July!

HON Core Fabric Updates

When specifying a HON project, we make sure that you have a good variety of options stocked in house and readily available. These core fabrics are the types of patterns and colorways that are timeless classics, and aren’t going to be a ‘flash in the pan’ trend. So, at the beginning of the year, we introduced a few new patterns and updated some of our existing, best-selling fabrics. Click on the names below to see them on HON.com!

Sixteen versatile colors, available in both neutrals and color accents

Partnership Textiles

For something a little trendier, or for alternative patterns that HON doesn’t offer in our core lineup, we partner with some fantastic fabric mills. Our most recent additions include patterns from CF Stinson, Maharam, Camira, and Ultrafabrics.

CF Stinson

We heard your pleas for partnership cards split out by grade, so our two new Stinson cards have just that: one with smaller to medium scale patterns in grades 3-5, and one with larger scale patterns in grades 5-10. Many of these are performance fabrics, and there are even some Crypton fabrics available for an added fluid barrier at a mid-range price point. Order the Flow and Edge card on our literature site today!

Maharam

We are very excited to offer two new fabrics from Maharam for several reasons. First, we’re able to offer a Maharam fabric at a grade 2 price point.Meldis part of an initiative to expand Maharam’s offering of core fabrics that appeal to the design world. Even better, it’s available in 43 different colorways, so you have plenty to choose from! Second, we’ve added MaharamApt, a grade 8 silicone fabric. Coming in at a lower cost than other silicone based fabrics, you can now offer your customer that durability and cleanability at an ideal price point.

Camira

Camira, based in the UK, is a new partner for us and we’re thrilled to be offering some of their fabrics. If you’re looking for 100% wool fabric,Blazer is now available for your soft seating needs. Even better, it’s only a grade 5, so it won’t break the bank! Additionally, if you want to add some visual interest to a panel or tack board, you can useBlazer Lite: a lightweight wool with that same felted finish.

Ultrafabrics

While Ultrafabrics isn’t a new partner for us, we love theirUltraleather Profor its feel and durability and had to add it to our lineup. This polyurethane fabric is known for cleanability—so we put it to the test. We made three seats in the purest white color we could find and tested its metal against a sandbag dressed in a pair of jeans. We repeatedly dropped those sandbags on the seats until there was enough dye transfer that they started to turn blue. After sitting for 30, 60, and 90 days, and a simple wipe with isopropyl alcohol made them all good as new—even the seat that was left for three months!

Photo Credit: Ultrafabrics

But that’s not all, folks; keep an eye out for July! We’ll be adding 13 new colors to Contourett; three new colors to our most durable fabric, Centurion; one new panel fabric; and introduce another Maharam card!

What’s your favorite fabric from our new offerings? Let us know in the comments!

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HON knows learning doesn’t begin and end in the classroom. From the front office to the classroom – and every opportunity in between – we craft the products that inspire, engage and connect the ways in which students learn.

Giving students the tools they need is all about getting them in the right zone. HON has developed a concept of 4- and 6-zone classroom environments that include multiple types of furniture arrangements and the flexibility to reconfigure quickly to adapt to different learning styles.

4-ZoneSetting up a four-zone classroom puts the instructor in more control over the peer-to-peer sharing of information and positions the environment to respond to inevitable change. All four zones can be swapped and moved to support any learning activity.

6-ZoneA classroom with six distinct zones provides a variety of environments suited to different teaching and learning styles – supporting everything from attentive group focus to active areas for experimentation and idea-sharing.

In today’s classroom, the teacher is now a facilitator rather than an instructor and these zones help create the environments to support this change. The key aspects to a zone classroom are flexibility, mobility and reconfigurability. We can’t predict how the progressive classroom will continue to evolve and change, so we have decided to create spaces that have the flexibility to adapt to all the changes. Below are some additional examples on how our 4- and 6-zone classrooms can be reconfigured to adapt to different learning and teaching styles.

A classroom atmosphere that keeps students’ attention is the ultimate goal, because it helps with communication and retention. HON Learning collections embrace 21st century paradigm shifts in education to support a variety of spaces, pedagogies and technologies. At the end of the day, learning should be fun!

For more information about trends in classroom design and learning solutions from HON, visit hon.com/learning.

When you think of HON, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Maybe it’s our task seating. Maybe you know HON from the old days where our strongest suit was steel filing. Or, perhaps you are familiar with how we got started making recipe card boxes post World War II. If education furniture wasn’t something that popped into your head, you might be surprised to hear that HON has a very robust collection of learning solutions – a perfect example of our inspired practicality story. Take a look below at some of the ways HON has the right products for every space, every student and every type of learning.

More Than Just DesksToday’s classrooms are not the classrooms of yesteryear. With the passing of each academic year, more and more emphasis is placed on collaboration and integrating new learning techniques for today’s youth, from kindergarten classrooms all the way to up to higher education facilities. HON doesn’t just have student desks to have student desks; we conducted extensive research to better understand how teachers teach and students learn to create innovative, quality products that are affordable. Build™ is a perfect example of that: height-adjustable activity tables in 12 unique shapes that can be broken out for individual learning, or can be joined together for interaction. Pair that with our industry-leading laminate desks for administrators, comfortable task chairs for teachers that won’t break the bank, and Smartlink® or Motivate® chairs that are specifically designed with students in mind, and you’re looking at a one-stop shopping learning solution. (Check out the new Motivate Counter-Height Stool , designed to meet multiple-height seating needs in learning and commercial applications.)

Beyond the ClassroomCollaboration extends well beyond the classroom as well. Lounge spaces require access to power to meet the needs of today’s technology-dependent world. Enter Grove®: not only does it provide a comfortable and active posture to encourage productivity, but it also incorporates a table to give you the option of tablet arms, a powered grommet or pop-up port. It’s the perfect fix for anyone who needs to charge their phone while they talk about a project, or juice up their laptop as they race to the finish on a homework deadline. Solutions like Grove and Flock® are also great for previously unused spaces, like hallways, to add additional study and collaborative areas for students. (COMING SOON: An exciting expansion to the Flock collaborative collection.)

Designed with Learning in MindFor instances where you need a traditional primary or secondary education classroom solution, SmartLink provides the answer you need. Looking for both sitting- and standing-height student desks? SmartLink has you covered, offering fixed, adjustable, and sit-to-stand options, along with chairs in varying sizes and five chair heights ranging from 6”-18” to fit all students K-12. And, it doesn’t sacrifice innovation. The desks can be easily reconfigured in a variety of ways to accommodate different learning solutions. Last but not least, SmartLink also features unique storage that allows teachers to keep their classrooms organized—not an easy feat, as some would undoubtedly attest to. The unique design allows you to slide storage bins from the track integrated under the desktop to a lockable storage cabinet, so there’s a place for everything and everything is always in its place. (Be sure to check out the latest SmartLink additions, including 14″H and 16″H Cantilever chairs as well as a 6″H chair which supports reading circle-style active learning.)

These are just a few ways that HON can be leveraged in the education arena —share your HON learning stories with us in the comments below!

If you’re anything like me, I love finding new ways to design my spaces – at home and in the office! With these 8 simple tips, you can re-decorate your workspace just in time for the holidays.

1. Add a Pop of Color

With HON’s latest fabric refresh, there are hundreds of options from which to choose that can bring life into your office this winter (my personal favorite is the Polka – Very Berry)! HON has created inspirational color palettes to make it easy to envision the right color scheme for your space. Have fun with it! Be BOLD and add patterns, or select colors that fit the season. There is no better way to make a statement to your customers, catch the attention of your guests or increase employee morale around the office than by adding a pop of color!

2. Add Whiteboards to Foster Creativity & Collaboration

Generally, we associate whiteboards with education settings, but they are also used in office spaces to foster creativity and collaboration. For example, we use whiteboards a lot in my department to give our sales team a place to brainstorm ideas, write daily goals, or even inspire each other with inspirational quotes of the week! In my experience, whiteboards can help keep people focused, allow them to collaborate with one another, and also boost productivity and creativity. To make it really easy to add to your space, HON offers both wall-mounted whiteboards and mobile whiteboards. You can even get creative and use glass stacker panels as a writing surface!

3. Create Alternative Places to Sit

Creating additional seating could be as simple as placing a cushion on your credenza or pedestal. This allows you to have short impromptu meetings right at your work space. It’s an inexpensive way to not only create another option for seating, but also allows you to decorate your space with more fun fabrics!

4. Go Modular!

With HON’s full offering, there are so many options to choose from. Why not mix things up? HON’s soft seating line, Flock, allows you to connect multiple lounge seats together and reconfigure them in multiple designs. Plus, you can add Flock minis that can double as additional seating or workspaces when paired with the new laminate toppers! Another great product line for going modular is Voi desking with Accelerate workstations. Not only can you add a modern look with the open o-legs, but you can also create 120° workstation pods. How cool is the layout below!?

Looking for more tips to spruce up your workspace this winter? Stay tuned for more ideas coming in Thursday’s blog post or visit hon.com for more information!

If you took all of the different table lines that manufacturers had to offer and lined them up end to end, I would venture to say you could reach the moon and back more than a few times. The great news is that you only need one table line when it comes to finding the perfect fit for your office – the new Build table series from HON.

The Building Blocks of a Great Table:

AdaptabilityIn a society where millennials are quickly becoming the prevailing majority in the workforce, you need a table that will fit the work style of the millennial, the baby boomer, and something for when the two come together. Here are just four different ways you can use Build™ tables in today’s workplace:

Commons: Group a few together in the commons area for impromptu one-on-one meetings, group discussions, and everything in between.

Breakout: Integrate them into workstation areas to give employees a breakout meeting area without having to completely relocate.

Training: Use them in a training room, and rearrange as needed to accommodate any size group or any type of training.

Focused: Take advantage of unused nooks and smaller spaces in the office to give employees the opportunity to find a little quiet time.

AestheticOne of the oldest sayings in the book is that you never get a second chance to make a first impression. That’s equally true for what your office furniture says about you to your employees and visitors alike. Odds are, you’re going to want something that has a classic look without being overly outdated or staid.

Build™ offers not only 26 standard laminate options and 14 edge options, but also two different leg finishes, casters or glides and five unique and interchangeable table top shapes.

Feeling traditional? Pair a couple of rectangular tables in a classic woodgrain finish together for a mobile conference room. Want something a little more unique? Arrange six of the new kite tables in Pomegranate or Blue Agave laminate for a floral-inspired group setting.

Attention to DetailLike all HON products, Build™ was designed with the end user in mind. Inspired by practicality, HON created a table that could be used alone, or mixed and matched with others to create a space that is completely new. It includes height adjustability from 25” to 34” so that it fits just right for any individual. And of course, it’s backed by the HON Full Lifetime Warranty, so you can rest easy knowing that you and your purchase are covered.

Today’s workspaces are constantly changing, and with HON’s new Build™ Tables, users can create a space that works for them. Build makes it easy for shared spaces to be reconfigured multiple times a day and accommodates an infinite number of settings. Five fun shapes and twenty-four laminate choices make it compatible with any room.

For Learning SpacesA common trend in today’s learning environment is the shared classroom. Many teachers and professors are in and out for different classes, and they need to be able to configure the space in a way that works with their teaching style. Build is lightweight, mobile and energizing! With 5 different table shapes, the design capabilities are endless. Not only is this product functional, it comes in all kinds of bright colors to keep the energy in the environment high.

For Anywhere Else!Build’s five unique shapes and large range of sizes allow the tables to fit anywhere. Whether it be a touchdown area in an open office, or a collaborative space to bounce ideas off your coworkers, Build has it covered. Using the classic rectangle table is perfect for training applications, or you can spice it up with shapes like Wisp, Ribbon or Kite to get a fresh look! You have complete control over your area and how you want to incorporate your style. Whatever setting you need to be productive, Build sets the foundation.